Something undefinable about Machu Picchu, just sends the shivers down your spine. The history, the mystery, the beauty, the scope; that despite the effort and the hoards the experience is absolutely justified and worth it. And there are hoards, no escaping that; and it is less pure as an experience as it must have been before the hype and glory. Hearing stories of 30 years ago when people came and went freely (actually a little secret I discovered after my journey – my parents consummated their love under a full moon – thankfully didn’t know that until I returned, may have been a distraction). There is alot of discussion and research into its preservation and how it will fare over time under the weight of so many visitors; they come from all over the world, so many languages floating through the beautiful ruins.
No where else I'd rather be right now...
…My weekend began with a rush around Cuzco finalizing tickets before sharing a collectivo into the Sacred Valley, glad to be breaking from the hustle of the city. My train ticket was out of a little town called Ollantaytambo, a place that looked well-worth hanging out for a night. The blue train wove into the mountains, crossing potato fields, grazing cattle, rain forest and rivers. Final stop, Aguas Calientes, a small town in the valley below Machu Picchu and from all accounts, I was expecting the worst – lots of hassle, ugly, overdeveloped and ridiculously expensive. So I was happily surprised to find a fairly laid back, not too pricey town set in a magestic landscape. Soon after arriving I found the track up Putu Kusi, a mountain opposite Machu Picchu and a few hours hike (down the railroad tracks and on the right) a scramble in parts with almost straight vertical climbs up rickety ladders. These mountains are mostly virgin forest, full of mist, deep ridges and sharp descents; incredibly beautiful and seriously difficult to access and navigate.
Coming around the corner on the top edge of Putu Kusi and seeing Machu Pichu for the first time is etched in memory. The strange geometry, like the spine of an animal stretching along the ridge of the mountain, the layout of the city is remarkable; but above all else it is the location – high in these isolated, difficult mountains the Incas built what seems like a fortress. No one knows really what went on here. Perhaps a university, a royal getaway, a place to preserve the Incan culture as the Spanish Conquistadors were encroaching. All seem plausible to my novice mind. Walking around the site the next day, it is the detailing, the attention and care given in the building of the city, the refined stonework, the aqueducts, the organization and spatial understanding that affirms the true sophistication of the Inca empire in my mind.
Those coca leaves sure are powerful, no wonder there’s still so much interest in them to this day…
A few tips from my passage up, for the interested traveler. I wanted to go it alone, partly to go solo and partly to avoid paying for a tour. I don’t regret my decision since I was glad to have my freedom and to maximize my time at the site, but I did not save money doing it this way. Ultimately, unless you go very, very basic and camp, you’ll spend as much independently as you will with a group. From what I have heard the 4day jungle tour is a great way to do it, with one day on a bike, one day on the Inca trail, one day at MP and another in Aguas Calientes all for around $110 US. In my case I spent quite a bit of time organizing my trip, buying tickets etc in Cusco and if time is precious I’d recommend just jumping in for a tour. It’s an expensive weekend but the pay off is huge. If you go solo, take a cheap collectivo in the morning to Ollantaytambo, and train to Aguas Caliente. Buy your ticket to Machu Picchu and your train ticket in Cusco – these sell out days in advance and keep an ear out for strikes. Buy your bus ticket to MP the night before and get to the station by 5am to get on one of the earliest buses. I totally recommend walking up Huayna Picchu and because they only issue 400 tickets a day you need to bee-line to the entrance as soon as you arrive and get in line for the hike. It will seem like a strange way to begin your time in the ruins but it’s the only way you’ll make it up the mountain. Also worth indulging in a soak at the hot springs, if you can work it so you are there earlier in the day you won’t be tea-bagging in a muddy soup. Enjoy xx
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